Fiesta Latina at the Peabody in New Haven Oct. 8

 

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The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, with Junta for Progressive Action, Inc., will hold the 14th  “Fiesta Latina,” an annual celebration of Latin American cultures, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Oct. 8, according to a release.

The event is free and open to the public, the release said.
 

 

 

 

"The Great Hall of Dinosaurs is the stage for music and dance performances throughout the day," and at 11 a.m. students of Mariachi Academy of Connecticut will perform traditional Mariachi song and dance, the release said.

 

Further, at noon X Dance Group will entertain with merengue, salsa and bachata music; at 12:40 p.m. Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Yale will perform traditional folk dances from several regions of Mexico; at 1 p.m. African Arawak Connection will present Taino and Caribbean music; at 1:45 p.m. Baila Peru; and at 2:30 p.m. Ray Gonzalez and his Latin Jazz Quintet will perform, the release said..

 

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"Specimens and artifacts from Latin America and around the world will be on display with an opportunity to meet an archaeologist.  Live creatures found in Latin America will greet visitors too," the release said. 

 

Fur, Feathers & Beyond will have live birds from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Curious Creatures live animals from noon to 3 p.m.

 

Also, Latin American games and craft activities will be offered for children as well as face painting and a mineral dig, coloring a maraca with the Yale Latino Networking Group and decorating a Latin American bird with the Girl Scouts of Connecticut.  Numerous organizations will hold additional activities and awareness booths throughout the day.

 

Fiesta Latina is sponsored UNIVISION, UNIMAS Hartford, and Yale Latino Networking Group, the release said.

 

 

Other information:

The Peabody is at 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven, is open 10-5 Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 on Sunday. The Museum is closed Monday EXCEPT on Columbus Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents Day.  The Museum is closed January 1, Easter, July 4, Thanksgiving and Dec. 24 & 25. Admission is $13 adults, $9 seniors, $6 children 3-18 and college students with I.D.  Children under 3 are free as are all visitors on Thursdays from 2 to 5 pm from September through June. Visit peabody.yale.edu for additional program and exhibition information. 

  

Editor's note: All information and the photo in this post were contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

Spiking to Make a Difference: From Amity to Nepal

The Jeremy Saxe Volleyball Extravaganza will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Nov. 28 at the CT Sports Center, 21 South Bradley Road, Woodbridge

Area volleyball players and fans will return for an annual community event that benefits the children of "the beautiful, spiritual, but impoverished nation of Nepal" and also supports an annual Amity scholarship in memory of Jeremy Saxe. according to a release.

"Due to the tremendous turn out in past years, the tournament has returned to the larger facility with multiple courts provided by the CT Sports Center which allows more playing time for teams and a refreshment area offering food, beer and wine for spectators," according to the release

"Come out and play or watch, connect with friends home for the holiday, and learn about the Foundation’s progress in Nepal. Enjoy delicious homemade treats from our community bake sale and shop for unique holiday gifts handcrafted by our friends in Nepal."

The event is organized as a Sixes Coed Tournament, with a competitive and casual bracket, so please sign up as a team of 6 (at least two girls per team) or sign up as a single and get placed on a team.

To Register: Players should submit their names individually (to be added to teams) or their team rosters, bracket preference and T-shirt sizes by email jsvbtourney@gmail.com or at the Facebook Event page ("Jeremy Saxe Volleyball Extravaganza" ).

There is a suggested $5 donation for spectators and $15 for players. The first 100 players signed up will receive an event T-shirt.

Also in the release:

All proceeds support Jiwanko Saathiharu: Jeremy Saxe Foundation for Education and Development, Inc., an independent social development organization with 501(c)3 tax exempt status formed by Jeremy’s friends, colleagues and family members. the Jeremy Saxe Volleyball Tournament, established in November 2008 by volleyball teammates, honors Jeremy Saxe who tragically lost his life on September 4, 2008 from an undiagnosed heart condition: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The Foundation funded Clara’s Childcare Center with memorial donations given in honor of Jeremy’s grandmother, Clara Sokoloff (1920-2010). On September 7, 2011, during UNESCO’s International Literacy Day celebration, Clara’s Childcare Center was inaugurated as the first childcare center in Pharping, Nepal!

The childcare center furthers the Foundation’s development objectives by improving outreach for the women’s literacy program and providing quality care school readiness, and early education to the children. Clara’s Childcare Center empowers women of the Village of Pharping by providing care for their young children while they attend the Women’s Community Literacy School.

Clara’s Childcare Center has served as a model that has now been replicated in the surrounding villages, multiplying the impact of donors on the lives of these families, especially the children!

These children will then have a strong start when they attend the Foundation’s signature project school: Jiwanko Saathiharu Sikshyalaya ("Friends of Life/Friends of Jeremy Place of Learning"). Jiwanko Saathiharu Sikshyalaya is planned as a community-based "School for Future Leaders." The school will be open to all castes and ethnic groups providing American style education and emphasizing critical thinking and analysis with rigorous academics. The school will promote good global citizenship while fostering a love of Nepal that encourages students to build a better future for Nepal. To read more the foundation brochure can be accessed by clicking here.

Please view a video thank you from the children of the village of Pharping, Nepal at JiwankoSaathiharu’s Channel - YouTube

The vision of Jiwanko Saathiharu, "Friends of Jeremy/Friends of Life," is to become a strong international team based on enduring friendships built on mutual respect and shared values, working together to inspire global action, connecting people across borders, and transforming hearts and minds through the development of cultural programs that educate, create dialogue, and build community. It is the hope of the Foundation that the lives of its donors and volunteers will be touched as deeply as the lives of its recipients when they witness their investment coming to fruition, making our world a better place.

To sign up, volunteer, or for more information, please e-mail: jsvbtourney@gmail.com or heidi.saxe@jeremysaxefoundation.org. Contributions can be mailed to Jeremy Saxe Foundation c/o SDV 1952 Whitney Avenue Hamden, CT 06517. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

The tournament committee thanks this year’s generous sponsors: Racebrook Wine & Liquor World, Jamba Juice, Winkle Bus, Orange Fence & Post, Sponge Brothers Car Wash, Amity Auto Repair (f/k/a Amity Mobil), Webster Bank, Ted’s Cleaners, Anderson Automotive, Rauch Family Dentists and Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. Click one of the buttons below to share it.

Multicultural Family Festival to be held in New Haven

NEW HAVEN  — Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, Inc. and
Start Community Bank will sponsor a Multicultural Family Fun Fest from 12:30 p.m. to  4:30 p.m. Saturday in the parking lots of Neighborhood Housing Services at 333 Sherman Ave. and Start Community Bank at 299 Whalley Ave.
“Through good food and good music, the Multicultural Family Fun Fest promises to be a fun-filled afternoon for the entire family,” organizers said in a statement. “The theme of this year’s event is ‘Inherit the Earth’ and aims to celebrate cultural diversity and care for the environment. It will feature art, traditional dancing, boxing demonstrations, Zumba, poetry jams and more.”
“NHS is thrilled to be hosting the Multicultural Family Fun Fest again this year,” NHS Executive Director Jim Paley said, also in the statement.  “This is a true celebration of life, diversity, and the spirit of the people of New Haven, and we are delighted to have our friends and neighbors at Start Community Bank together with us at this festival.”
“Homeownership is a key component to building healthy communities,” Bridgette Russell, managing director of NHS’ HomeOwnership Center and co-organizer of the event said, also in the statement. “Since sound fiscal practices are necessary for individuals to position themselves for homeownership, it is quite fitting that Start Community Bank is a collaborating partner of the event.”
“Start Community Bank is committed to improving financial literacy in the community and is dedicated to assisting individuals, families and business owners expand their own wealth, which will increase the economic viability of the area,” Bill Placke, President & CEO of Start Bank said, also in the statement. “The purpose of this event is to celebrate the Whalley Avenue community and the people who make it a great place to live and work.”

For more information about NHS of New Haven, visit www.nhsofnewhaven.org. For more information on Start Community Bank, visit www.startbank.com.

Also from the statement:
For the second year, Start Community Bank also will honor outstanding women who have made a difference in the community: Joanne Sciulli, executive director of Solar Youth, a non-profit organization providing opportunities for young people to develop a positive sense of self and connection and commitment to others through programs that incorporate environmental exploration, leadership and community service; Mattie Stevenson, one of the many active seniors in our neighborhoods who takes care of two of the community gardens and has been working with youth to help instill in them life values, esteem, and an appreciation of the arts and the earth; and Lanissa Gardner and Jackie Failla, seniors at Common Ground High School who have interned at various environmental science programs throughout the country, and are now sharing their knowledge with youth and seniors in the community.
“From the perspective of Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, activities like the Multicultural Family Fun Fest are a way of providing information to prospective and existing homeowners about the services we provide while at the same time giving back to the community,” said Russell. “It is a way of saying thanks to our clients and to the residents of New Haven whom we serve.”



Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Abandoned Animals, Inc. sponsoring a Mohegan Sun Casino bus trip

Abandoned Animals, Inc. is sponsoring a Mohegan Sun Casino Bus Trip on Aug. 25.
The bus leaves from the McDonald’s in the Hamden Mart on Dixwell Avenue at 1 p.m. sharp and returned from the casino at 7:30 p.m. sharp.
The cost is $30 per person and includes a casino package. All proceeds benefit Abandoned Animals Inc.
For more information or to make reservations call Linda at 203-230-5948. Participants must be at least 21 years old.
Abandoned Animals, Inc. is dedicated to giving animals shelter, food, medical attention and a “forever” home.
Find Abandoned Animals, Inc on Petfinder.com.

Editor's note: All information and the image in this post were contributed.

New Haven clergywoman to receive 2012 Reverend Howard Nash Community Leadership Award

NEW HAVEN — Community Mediation, Inc. has announced today that the 2012 Reverend Howard Nash Community Leadership Award will be presented to the Rev. Bonita Grubbs at the annual breakfast that begins at 8 a.m. May 2 at the New Haven Lawn Club, 193 Whitney Ave.
“This year’s award will be presented to Reverend Bonita Grubbs for her leadership roles in promoting civic engagement and community collaboration in the New Haven area through such work as her agency’s program, Mothers for Justice, a grass roots advocacy group that seeks to empower women to speak out on and propose solutions to policy and decision makers about issues that affect their community,” Community Mediation Executive Director Brenda Cavanaugh said in a statement.
Grubbs also last year was named by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame as a "Notable Woman of Influence."
Grubbs has been executive director of Christian Community Action since December 1988. She has been ordained to the Christian Ministry within the American Baptist Church since November 1987, the statement said.
Grubbs has served as a board member of the Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund; a member of the Judicial Review Council for the State of Connecticut; Interim Pastor of Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church in Hamden; president of the CT Coalition to End Homelessness; and, co-chairwoman of the Steering Committee of New Haven’s Fighting Back Project, the statement said. Her current board and voluntary involvements include: columnist, New Haven Register; member of the Board of Trustees, Hospital of St. Raphael; and board member, CT Voices for Children and CT Center for School Change.
In 2001, Grubbs received an honorary degree from Albertus Magnus College in Humane Letters. Special recognitions received in 2000 include: Public Citizen Award, CT Chapter National Association of Social Workers; Prevention Award, The Consultation Center (New Haven); Women Who Make a Difference Award, CT Women’s Education and Legal Fund; and, Good Egg Award, Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Scholarship fundraiser to be held in New Haven

NEW HAVEN — The New Haven Chapter of Links, Inc. will hold a scholarship fundraiser, “Honoring Tradition Through Philanthropy” from 8 p.m. to midnight on Nov. 5 at the New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave.


The Links will use proceeds to provide $1,000 Book Scholarship Awards to college-bound students. More than $270,000 in scholarships has been given to students.

Local philanthropists Carlton Highsmith, Howard K. Hill and Paul McCraven will be honored at the black-tie event.

Admission is $75. Parking is free.

New Haven Links chapter was established in 1972. Members serve the community with sisterly love through the National Trends and Services, Arts, International Trends and Services and Services to Youth programs.

PSA contest aims to reduce underage drinking in Connecticut

The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut, Inc.; Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell; state police Lt. J. Paul Vance; Central Connecticut State University Vice President Student Affairs Dr. Laura Tordenti; Catherine LeVasseur, of the Governor’s Prevention Partnership; and professor Jeff Teitler of CCSU, teamed up Thursday to announce the kick off of the fourth annual WSWC PSA Contest.

Entrants are called to submit a 30-second television public service announcement addressing how peer pressure contributes to underage drinking and/or to illustrate how serving as a positive role model can help others not to drink as a means to help reduce underage drinking in Connecticut, according to a statement.

“The WSWC PSA Contest sends a strong message Connecticut needs to hear. To keep kids safe, parents must take an active, involved role in preventing drinking and making sure their children understand the dangers of underage drinking," Farrell said in the statement.

"The WSWC PSA Contest gives Connecticut college students a chance to show off their talent to the public as well as send a serious message about underage drinking," the statement said.
Any student enrolled at any Connecticut college or university or a Connecticut resident may participate in the contest, the statement said.
Student teams from the University of New Haven, Sacred Heart University, University of Hartford, Quinnipiac University, and Eastern, Western, and Central Connecticut state universities all participated in last year’s competition, the statement said.

“Youth are drinking too much, too early and too often; according to the 2009 CT School Health Survey, nearly two in 10 (18 percent) of CT youth start drinking before age 13” Catherine LeVasseur, program Manager at the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, said, also in the statement.

Peter Berdon, executive director of the WSWC, said, also in the statement: “Now in its fourth year the college PSA contest is doing an amazing job of bringing underage drinking awareness to the forefront in Connecticut. We are proud of the students from our colleges and universities that have embraced the contest and it continues to grow each year."

Last year’s winning PSA was televised over 500 times on local and cable stations, the statement said.

Teitler, also advisor for last year’s winning PSA said: “The Department of Communication at CCSU was thrilled to engage our production students within issues of injury prevention as part of the WSWC’s PSA competition. Collaborations such as these, which inspire students statewide to create on meaningful issues are both relevant and important.”

All entries will be displayed at the University of New Haven on April 26 at an Awards Ceremony that will include forensic scientist Henry Lee as keynote speaker, the statement said. Entries will be judged by an independent panel of experts. The winning PSA will be telecast on local broadcast and cable stations.

Application for entry forms confirming intent to enter the contest are due to WSWC by Feb. 16. Final submissions are due by April 6.

Last year’s first-place winner and recipient of a $2,500 cash prize was “Team Independent” from Central Connecticut State University, the statement said. The team consisted of Josh Therriault and advisor Jeff Teitler.
“Team S.W.E.E.T.” of Sacred Heart University placed second and was awarded a $1,500 cash prize, the statement said. The team represented the school’s Health & Wellness group and was advised by Karen Flanagan.
The third place team and recipient of a $1,000 cash prize was team “Ghost” from Eastern Connecticut State University advised by Chris Ayeni and Denise Matthews, the statement said.

The WSWC is working in collaboration with The Governor’s Prevention Partnership and other community stakeholders to achieve the common goal of reducing underage drinking in Connecticut. Contact Jackie Carlino, Community Programs Manager at 203-624-9900 or jackie.carlino@wswc.org for additional information.

Shown in photo, l to r:  Tom Simpson, WSWC board member; Catherine LeVasseur, program manger Governor’s Prevention Partnership; Josh Therriault, CCSU student winner of the 2010 contest; Lt. J. Paul Vance; Dr. Laura Tordenti, VP Student Affairs CCSU; Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Department of Consumer Protection; Professor Jeff Teitler, CCSU advisor to 2010 winning entry; Peter Berdon, Executive Director Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of CT (contest sponsor)

Editor's Note: All information in this post was contributed.

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Effort helps give kids bathing suits

NEW HAVEN - Albertus Magnus School of New Dimensions has donated swimsuits to New Haven Home Recovery, Inc. after a two week long drive to help the agency’s Services, Education & Activities Reaching Children who are Homeless program, according to a statement.
SEARCH offers homework help, story time and activities to learn about physical awareness for children living in Home Recovery’s shelters, the statement said.
"During the summer kids participate in various field trips that require bathing suits that children facing homelessness do not have," the statement said.
The program is funded entirely by private contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations, the statement said.
Students and staff responded to emails sent out by Jeffery Janosko, director of Operations at Albertus Magnus School of New Dimensions, the statememtn said.
The school hopes to put on a larger drive next year for NHHR.
“The School of New Dimensions is always happy to help and looks forward to future opportunities to help our neighbors in need,” Janosko said in the statement.
In the past year, NHHR has helped 657 children in various services provided by the organization, the statememt said.

For more information on how to help, visit www.nhhr.org.

In the photo: June Sangapore, left, director of Student Services and Jeffery Janosko, director of Operations of Albertus Magnus College School of New Dimensions.

Editor's note: This information was provided wholly by New Haven Home Recovery, Inc.

African-American Historical Society, Inc.to hold awards program

NEW HAVEN — The Rev. Al Sharpton will be a special honoree when the African-American Historical Society, Inc. holds it 7th annual Lifetime Awards Program at 4 p.m. June 12 at Charles Garner Recital Hall in Engleman Hall at Southern Connecticut State University.
The event also will include community awards to Jim Barber and Bernice Bowman and tributes to Dr. Dorothy Height and Benjamin Hooks.

Bernice Bowman began in the political arena with the successful neighborhood opposition to proposed landfill in the Allingtown section of West Haven, where she lives. One of her priorities has always been to help better her community.
Bowman is the first African-American woman to service as president of the West Haven Federation of Democratics. She has received a leadership award from the Connecticut Democratic Party. She is a past president of the Sojourner Network of Women, an organization that also has awarded her and the first African-American woman from West Haven to serve on the Democratic National Committee from Connecticut.

Barber has donated many years of his time, talents and energy to his community, and also was the head coach for the women's track team at SCSU, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards, among them the Service Award from the United States Track Association and the Alumni Association at SCSU and the Alumni Service Award.

He has also been repeatedly elected to the executive board of the U.S. Track Coaches Association.

A buffet reception will follow. There is no charge for admission. For more information call: (203) 562-6238 or (203) 469-8482